Stock feed mechanism for forging machines



May 18, 1965 A. R. KULL 3,183,533

STOCK FEED MECHANISM FOR FORGING MACHINES Filed June l, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet l l e f ,s I'l l rtw- +I r l l lLL/ i l e4 55 INVENTOR. 86 ALBERT R. Kum.

ATTORNEYS May 18, 1965 A. R. KULL sTocx FEED MEcHANrsM FOR EoRGING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l, 1960 INVENTOR. ALBERT R. KULI.

BY m'wz, ,6' M/nd@ ATTORNEYS- May 18, 1965 A. R. Kum. 3,183,533

STOCK FEED MECHANISM FOR ORGING MACHINES Filed .June 1. 1960 4 sheets-sheet s 1N VENTOR. ALBERT R. vKULL @www4/www,

ATTORNEYS May 18, 1965 A. R. KULL 3,183,533

STOCK FEED MECHANISM FOR FORGING MACHINES ALBERT R.V KULL ATTOR NEYS United States Patent O M 3,183,533 STOCK FEED MECHANISM FOR FRGING MACHINES Albert R. Kuli, Beachwood, Ohio, 'assigner to The Aiax Manufacturing Company, Euclid, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 1, 1960, Ser. No. 33,215 11 Claims. (Cl. 10-12) This invention relates, as indicated, to a stock feed mechanism for forging machines, and more particulary to. an automatic stock feed mechanism adapted to feed elongated blanks to a forging machine.

In an upsetting forging machine or header, such as that commonly employed for the manufacture of bolts, for example, the work may be shifted from one set of die cavities to another by manual means for performance of a series of operations thereon in a particular desired sequence. It is, however, a problem in machines of this nature rapidly and eliiciently to feed the stock to the machine from a furnace heating the ends of the elongated lengths upon which the heading operation will be performed. Such a stock transfer and feed mechanism is shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 12,439, filed March 2, 1960, entitled Automatic Transfer Mechanism for Forging Machines, such mechanisms having been utilized in connection with Ajax bolt heading and forging machines.

The present invention represents further improvements in mechanisms of this nature in providing automatic stock feed mechanism capable of handlnig efficiently very long lengths of rod or bar stock to feed the same to the forging machine from a furnace. It is, of course, desirable to feed such stock to the forging machine rapidly from the furnace to prevent the stock from cooling to a temperature below that required for the forging operation. However, it is generally not possible to feed such long lengths of stock from the front or top of the macihne because there is insufficient clearance even when the header slide is back. Generally, if a front or top feed is attempted, then it becomes necessary to gauge the stock against a rear gauge, but this may be a quite inaccurate method unless the stock has been preliminarily cut to proper length with great precision.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide a stock feed mechanism for forging machines capable of handling elliciently very long lengths of rod or bar stock.

It is another important object of my invention to provide such stock feed mechanism for forging machines which will facilitate the feed of stock from a point above the machine die slide.

It is a still further important object of my invention to provide a stock feed mechanism for forging machines for very long lengths of stock which is adapted to be installed in existing forging machines without any substantial modification of the latter.

It is a further object to provide such stock feed mechanism that will not necessitate the cutting away or otherwise reducing the strength of the dies and their supports.

Another object is to provide a stock feed mechanism which may be employed with a high frequency induction furnace efficiently to heat the ends of such long length bar stock and feed the same to the forging machine.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the -annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of Patented May 18, 1965 ICC the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary end elevational view of one form of my stock feed mechanism, showing such mechanism mounted on a commercially available Ajax bolt header and forging machine well-known in the art;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. l on a somewhat reduced scale with certain parts broken away and removed for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 through 7 inclusive are fragmentary detail views illustrating the conveyor chain employed with my invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end elevational view of a further embodiment of my stock feed mechanism also mounted on a commercially available Ajax bolt header and forging machine well-known in the art;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 with certain parts broken away and removed for clarity of illustration; and

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 9.

Referring now more particularly to said annexed drawings and especially to FIGS. l, 2 and 3 thereof, the embodiment of my invention illustrated therein is adapted to be installed on a bolt heading and forging machine of well-known type which may comprise a main frame 1 carrying a xed work gripping die 2 opposed to a cooperating reciprocable gripping die 3, such Vdies' 2 and 3 being shown schematically. When die 3 has been reciprocated toward die 2 to grip the blank B therebetween, a header die or tool 4 carried by a header slide is reciprocated axially of such blank to upset the protruding end thereof within a cavity formed by the gripping dies 2 and 3 to form, for example, a hexagonal bolt head or other desired shape on such blank. The machine is, of course, powered by an electric motor operative to drive a large y wheel in turn to drive a crankshaft to move theY dies in the conventional manner.

The machine is also provided with a stock transfer mechanism shown generally at 5 adapted automatically to shift the work from one set of die cavities to another for the performance of the series of heading operations thereon by the heading tool 4. As seen more clearly in FIG. 1, such stock transfer mechanism includes a series of vertically spaced opposed stock engaging linger gripping mechanisms 6 and 7 driven for rectilinear movement by means of a series of cams (not shown) on shaft 8, such shaft 8 being driven in synchronism with the aforementioned drive shaft of the machine. As seen perhaps 'y better in FIG. 2, each of the linger gripping assemblies comprises elongated stock engaging lingers having horizontally spaced stock engaging portions 9 and 19. It will thus be seen that the stock transfer mechanism is adapted to grip the work above the stationary and reciprocable gripping dies and transfer the same downwardly therethrough successively to position the same in the cavities to enable the heading tool 4 to perform the heading operation thereon. The stock is then released by the transfer mechanism in a position shown at 11 in FIG. l to drop such headed stock onto a conveyor 12 to be moved rearwardly of the machine through the throat 13. Such conveyor includes a conveyor chain 14 (note FIG. 3) also driven from the main shaft of the machine as well as suitable guides to maintain the stock upon the conveyor thus to be moved by the chain 14 rearwardly so that the tail end of the stock will be brought into engagement with a stock kick-olf device 15 supported on extension 16 to application for a more complete descriptionof the operation of such machine, the same forming no part of my Y present invention.

In order to facilitate the feeding of stock from the furnace F heating the end of such stock to be headed to the proper forging temperature, I provide a stock feed mechanism generally shown at adaptedA automatically to feed stock from the. conveyor to the forging machine in the shortest time: possible, such mechanism being readily adaptable to existing forging. machines and furnaces. The furnacey is provided with a furnace conveyor which includes chains 21 entrained around respective sheaves 22 mounted on shaft 23 at they discharge end' of the furnace. Any suitable number of chains and sheaves may be employed depending upon the length of the stock desired to be accommodated.

My feed mechanism attachment is mounted primarily on a stand 25 which in the illustrated machine comprises a top box-like frame 26 supported on the floor by upstanding supports 27. Lower transverse framing members 28 may be provided thus further rigidifying the stand 25. Gusset plates 29 and 30 may be provided at the intersection of the verticals 27 and the top frame. 26 even further rigidifying such frame and stand. The extension 16 is mounted on the outboard or distal end of the stand horizontally even with the upper horizontal course of the conveyor chainf14 thus properly to position the stop kick-off 15.

On the top outboard or distal end ofthe stand, I provide two upstanding supports 31 supporting tubular guides 32 and 33. The opposite or inboard end of theguides 32.v and 33 yare supported on similar upstanding supports 34 mounted directly on the machinefframe 1. These guides 32 and 33 provide a support for` stock retaining guidesV 35, 36 and 37 which may be horizontally adjusted along the tubular members 32 and 33-by vsimply loosening the clamps 38 and 39 by which the Yrespective guides are held to the guide members` 32l and 33. The planar configuration of the guides may be more clearly seen in FIG. 1. The stock guides which may be welded thereto offset stock contacting strips 40 provide guides-or retainers for Ythe top of the stock from the furnace conveyor 21 to the forging machine'. Thus the guide is curved downwardly at 41 adjacent the furnace and also curved downwardly at 42 adjacent the forging machine closely to conformto the upper course of my conveyor-feed chains 43.

In the FIG. 1 embodiment, I have illustrated'the employmentof a total of live such feed chains 43; These chains are entrained around respective drive sheaves 44, 45, 46, 47 and 4S which are mounted onl drive shaft 49. The outboard or distal endv of the shaft 49 is mounted on the top frame 26 of the stand 25 by means of pillow blocks Silaud 51 mounted respectively on upstandingrpedestals 52 and 53. The inboard or proximal ende of the shaft is mounted in a pillow vblock 54 supported on pedestal 55 cantilevered directly on the machine frame 1. Idler sheaves 56 and 57 for the chain 43 entrained over the` drive sheave y44 are mounted on a plate 58 which is-supf portedv on transverse yframe member 59 extending across the top frame 26. A vertically movable tensioning sheave 6i) mounted within Vslot 61 (note FIG. 1)V maybe employed to maintain the. chain 43 at the propertension entrained about the drive sheave 44, the top idler sheave' 56 and the front idler sheave 57 positioned adjacent the topmost position of the transfer mechanism 5.

Similarly, the drive sheaves 45 and 46 are provided with idler sheaves 62, 63, 64 and 65 mounted respectively on plates 66 and 67 supported on transverse frame members 68 and 69. The pair of drive sheaves 47 and 4S mounted on the proximal or inboard end of the drive shaft 49y are also provided with pairs of idler sheaves 70 and 71 each. mounted on plate 72 which is in turn mounted directly on the machine frame 1. Itis noted that the idler sprockets 70 are mounted just to the rear of the gripping dies. 2 and 3 precluding the necessity of cutting away and thus weakening the dies to obtain Va top feed. Accordingly, each of the `sheaves 57, 62, 64V and 79 vis aligned; each of thelsheaves 56, 63, 65V and 71 is aligned; and, of course, the drive sheaves 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 are aligned on the shaft 59 running parallel to the alignment of the other sheaves. Each of the plates 58, 66, 67 and 72 may be provided with conveyor chain supports 75 and 76 as shown in FIG. 1 to support thev chains-43 on their` top horizontal courses between the drive sheaves and the intermediate idler sheaves as well as on their downwardly inclined courses between theY intermediate idler sheaves and the front'idler sheaves positioned adjacent the working line of the machine. Also, each of lthe plates may include movable tensioningsheaves for the respective chains as that shown at 60.` l

As illustrated in `FIGS.-4 throughk 7 inclusive, my

links to hold the-v same in proper position.. It can readily bepseen that the rollers 83 will readily pass over theY guides 75 and 76 to provide a proper horizontal and inclined'path respectively for the' conveyor chain. Every eighteen pitches of the chainon the machine shown, I provide special inside links more clearlyV shown in FIG'.v 7.. These links are provided with a Vtop horizontal angled portion 84 providing a shelf to which a further angle member 85 is secured.l A suitable yfastening means las, for example, a rivet or screw may be employed yas at 86 to Vhold the angles 84 and85 together. Thus the upstanding portions firmly secured to the inner links 87 at Yevery eighteen pitches, for example, of a chain provide a recess or offset pocket for the retention of the stock S therein.

away from the pocket to provide a larger pocket or recess Vto accommodate a largersize stock therebetween., `It is noted that in both embodiments, the outermost link 31 is provided with an attenuated or necked center portion thus to provide a notched recess to ,seat the. stock thereon.

In order to drive the shaft 49 to; cause movement of the chains 43 to convey the stock from the furnace conveyor to the forging machine, I provide a piston-cylinder assembly 90, the blind end ofy which is pivotally mounted as at 91 on the vertical support member 92 extending between the top frame 26 and the lower reinforcing frame 28. The rod 93 of the piston-cylinder assembly is pivotally connected at-94 to a crank arm95 secured to jack shaft 96. The jack shaft 96 is mounted on pillow blocks 97 and 98 which in turn are mounted on shortr transverse frame members 99 and 100 whichf are secured kto the frame member 101 in the middle of the top frame 26. Upright supports 102 and 103 (FIG. 3) horizontally position the jack shaft 96 at the propergposition so that large diameter` gear 104 mounted thereon will mesh with small diameter pinion 105 keyed on the end of the drive shaft 49. in this manner to provide va drivingrengagement between the two. The crank arm 95 is Vsecured to a Formsprag indexing or one way clutch 106 such that reciprocation of the piston-cylinder assembly will unidirectionallyrotate intermittently-,the shaft 96v and thus the shaft 49 to provide a synchronization therebetween. If. desired, the conveyor 21 through the furnace F may also bey driven intermittently unidirectionally and the control for this conveyor may also be derived from the timing wheel 111i.Y A conventional timing device may be employed as, for example, cams on such wheel opening and closing valves to the respective drive cylinders. Since the wheel 119 is driven through bevel gearing (notshown) by shaft 111, which is drivenrby sprocket 112, driven by chain 113 entrained around a sprocket of the same size and pitch on the drive shaft of the machine, it will be seen that the wheel 111i will thus operate the intermittent feed for the machine in synchronism with the operation of the machine itself to position a new blank at the point 114 for every reciprocation of the header tool 4. rIhus the wheel 110 will cause energization of the piston-cylinder assembly 90 to move the stock along a total distance of eighteen pitches. This may, for example, be 11% inches. The stock will be picked up at the top of the sheaves 22 at the point 115 and placed within the recesses provided in the chains 43. Piston-cylinder assembly 91B will then be actuated to extend the rod thus to rotate the shaft 96 in a clockwise direction and the shaft 49 in a counterclockwise direction. This will move the stock from the position 115 upwardly beneath the depending portion 41 of the guides. The end of the stroke of the piston-cylinder assembly 90 will position such stock at approximately the point 116 at which time the piston-cylinder assembly 90 will retract and since the link 95 is connected to the jack shaft 96 through the clutch 1116, such retraction of the piston-cylinder assembly will be ineffective to move the shaft 49. It is noted that the pitch diameter ratios of gears 104 and 195 as well as the stroke of cylinder 90 may be selected to obtain any desired length of chain movement per each stroke of such cylinder. The next stroke of the piston-cylinder assembly will position the stock at the point 117 and the next succeeding stroke will position the stock at the point 114 to be grasped between the top fingers of the opposed finger gripping assemblies 6 and 7.

Mounted on the plates 35, 36 and 37, I provide solenoids 11S which position stops 119 opposite the position 114 as shown in FIG. l to hold the stock against outward movement to retain the same in the recesses within the chains. When the stock has reached the position 114, it will have dropped below the outer extensions 42 of the plates 35 and, accordingly, must be held within the recesses within the chain. After the linger gripping assemblies have closed upon the stock, the solenoids 118 may be actuated to withdraw the stops from the position shown. The withdrawal of the stops is required since the initial movement of the stock from the 114 position will be to the left as shown in FIG. l because the finger gripping assemblies must move to the left to strip the stock from the cavities of the stationary die 2. It will readily be understood that in place of solenoids operating the stops 119, piston-cylinder assemblies or the like may equally well be employed.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, it will be seen that such is employed upon an identical stock forging or heading machine, such machine having the stationary die 2, the movable gripping die 3 and the reciprocable heading tool 4, of which is mounted on the machine frame 1. The machine also includes the stock gripping and transfer assembly 5 to transfer the stock successively through the cavities within the gripping dies such that the heading tool may perform the heading operation thereon.

As seen in FIG. 8, this machine is provided with the throat 13 through which the stock is transferred downwardly through the various die cavities to be discharged rearwardly by the discharge conveyor in the same manner as in the machine disclosed in my aforementioned copending application.

As in the FIG. 1 embodiment, the major portion of my FIG. 8 embodiment is mounted upon a stand or table situated adjacent the forging machine which comprises four vertical legs 131). Supported on top of the legs 1541 are two longitudinal top frame members 131 and 132 and two transverse frame members 163 and 134. The longitudinal frame members 131 and 132 extend as shown at 135 and 136 to provide a cantilevered support for upstanding supports 137 and 138 upon which are mounted the outboard or distal ends of tubular guide members 139 and 141B. The inboard ends of these tubular members are mounted respectively on the machine frame 1 and a narrow extension 141 of the stand extending parallel to the machine frame and supported on leg 142. Thus the upstanding support for the inner tubular member 139 may be mounted directly on the machine frame (such support not being shown) and the outer tubular member 140 may be mounted on upstanding support 143 mounted in turn on such extension 141 of the stand.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the tubular guide members 139 and 1d@ provide a support for the upper guide for the path of the stock through my feed mechanism. In FIG. 10, I have illustrated two such guides 1415 and 146 mounted on the tubular guide members, but it will be understood that any number of such guides may be employed depending upon the length of stock that is to handled by the machine. -As shown in FIG. 8, the guides themselves include two clamps 147 and 14S through which the tubular .guides 1'39 and 140 extend and which may be tightened firmly to secure the guide thereto. Depending plates 149, 150, 151 and 152 are supported from such clamps and have bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the bottom edges thereof, the guide member or strip 153. Such strip 153 includes a downwardly inclined portion 154 adjacent the entrance chute for the cold stock, a downwardly pointed portion 155 adjacent the location where such stock is transferred to my feed mechanism, and horizontal and downwardly inclined portions 156 and 157 respectively closely conforming to the path of the stock through my heating and feed mechanism.

Secured to the outside edge of the table including the extension 141, I provide an upstanding side plate 159 and an angle-shape support 160 both of which maybe bolted or otherwise suitably rigidly fastened to the table. This support plate 160 includes a top ange 161 and suitable rigidifying webs of the planar confiugration shown in FIG. 8 as at 16-2 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the outside of such support 169 to hold the top flange 161 in its proper horizontal position. On the top of such flange 161, I provide a series of downwardly inclined guides 163. These guides 163 may be bolted to support plates 164 fastened directly to the top ange 161 and a longitudinally extending rigidifying member 165 may be employed properly to hold and support guides 163 in their proper stock supporting position, Whereas I have illustrated a total of iive guides 163 being employed to support the stock on the entering side of my feed mechanism, it wiil be understood that any desired number and spacing thereof may be employed depending upon the size and length of the round stock to be utilized by the machine. The guides 163 extend vertically down over the top of plate 159 as shown at 166 (note FIG. 8) so that cold stock is adapted to be positioned between the top guide 153 and the lower inclined `guide 163 to slide downwardly to be fed into my feed mechanism by a piston-cylinder assembly transfer mechanism now to be described.

The actuating piston-cylinder assembly for this transfer mechanism is shown at 179 and the rod end of the cylinder may be secured directly to the upstanding plates 159 and 16d. The rod of this piston-cylinder assembly is pivotally connected to a crank link 171 as shown at 172 to rock shaft 173 about its axis. The shaft 173 may be mounted for oscillation by means of pillow blocks 174, 175 and 176 secured to the outside face of the vertically extending portion of the support 160. Also mounted on the rock shaft 173 are a series of crank links 177, 178, 179, 181D and 181. Pivotally connected to the crank links i177 through 131 inclusive are respective pushers or feeders 133 pivotally connected thereto as at 182. The tips of the members 133 are notched as at 184 to receive the stock sliding down the chute and extension of the rod of the piston-cylinder assembly 17) t0 the right as shown in FIG. 8 moves the members 1&3 to

the left to transfer the stock to my feed mechanism conveyor.

My feed mechanism conveyor comprises a series of conveyor chains 19t) in which each of the inside links on one side thereof may be provided with the offset projecting portions as shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 through 7 inclusive to provide notches or recesses therebetween vfor the reception of the stock. The conveyor chains are frame kmember 2% extending transversely of the small extension `141 of my stand. The upstanding supports 261i, 201 and 2112 may take the form of spaced plates 20d, the planar conguration of which may more clearly be seen in FIG. `8. The plates 2634 each have an upwardly inclined portion terminating at the top of plate `159 thus to provide a firm and rigid support for the drive shaft i196. Such drive shaft may be driven in the same manner as the drive shaft 96 in the FIG. l embodiment, such drive means taking the form of. a short stroke pistoncylinder assembly 2in1, the blind end of which is pivotally mounted at 267 to the leg 131i. The rod of such assembly is pivotally connected at 203 to a link 2119 conindexing or one way Vclutch 210. Thus the drive shaft UTK 19,6 will be driven through a short arcuate rotative stroke to rotate the same unidirectionallyintermittently to cause the chains `1910 to advance the stock S therealong. Chains 190 are also entrained about the outer periphery of idler sheaves 212 and 213 and about the inner periphery of idler-Sheave 214, all of which sheavesare mounted on a plate 215 supported as shown at 216 and 217. The supports for the plate are mounted on a longitudinally extending member 131 and also on longitudinally extending member 218 contilevered on transverse supports 133 and 134 and lying adjacent the Working line of the machine. Plates 220 and 221 similar to plate 215 are provided for the aligned idler sheaves for the conveyor chains entrained around the drive sheaves 192 and 193 and the idler sheaves for the drive sheaves 194 and 19S are mounted on plate 222 which is moun-ted directly on the machine frame 1 as shown at 223.

Each of the plates 215, 220, 221 and 222 is provided with horizontally extending guides 224 and forwardly inclined guides 225 to supportrthe chain in its top horizontal course and forwardly inclined course as shown more particularly in FIG. 8.

It will now be seen that the cold stock is adapted to be placed in the feeding slot opening shown at 250 to slide downwardly in a single row to be transferred horizontally by the notched pushingbars 183 to be placed in the notches in the conveyor chains 196, there to be indexed as the result of the stroke of the piston-cylinder assembly 206. The stock will then move along the top horizontal course of the conveyor chains and then downwardly along the inclined forward course to be placed at the position 251, which corresponds to the position 114 in the FIG. l embOdiment. At this position, the stock will be held within the recesses in the conveyor chains by the stops 252 actuated by solenoids 253 mounted on the plates 149 of the guide structures 145. At this point, the fingers of the transfer mechanism will grip the stock and the solenoid 253 will retract the stop 252 Asuch that the stock may then be moved through the successive cavities in the gripping dies for the operation of the heading tool 4 thereon.

In order to heat the end ofthe stock to be headed, in this embodiment I prefer to employ a high frequency induction furnace which may, for example, be a conventional Tocco furnace shown schematically at 254`(FIG. 9). Thus, `the end of the stock 255, prior to the heading operation, will be heated within such furnace asthe same moves along the top horizontal course of theconveyor and by the time the stock has reached the position 251 the end to be headed will be heated sufficientlyk for the forging operation. Y

With a high frequency.inductionheater employed at the horizontal ight of my feed mechanism, it will be seen that my feed mechanism accomplishes'both the feeding of the forging machine from the top above the die slide and alsofheatsrthe stock during such feeding operation in a minimumamount of space.

It will accordingly be seen that my feed mechanism as f disclosedin both illustrated embodiments is very efficient in the making of elongated bolts such as'mine roof'bolts in that it enables the stock to be fed from above the machine rapidly afterr heating to prevent excessive cooling and incorporates an automatic` gauging feature which enables it to be attached to readily available forging machines such as the aforementioned Ajax machines-without undue modification of the same. I n the position 114 in the FIG. l embodiment and'in the position 251 in the FIG. 8 embodiment, the heading tool will move inwardly contacting the heated end of the `stock thus properly to gauge the same with respect to the gripping dies, it being noted that the stops 119 and 252` of the respective embodiments do not impede the gauging movement; of the stock as the result of the movement ofthe heading tool. For a more clear disclosure of theV gauging feature of my present invention, reference may be had again to my aforementioned copending application. Y

Now with reference to FIG. 1, it will be seen that my invention will accommodate and-rapidly head bolts up to ten feet in length. Bolts of ten and eight foot lengths will extend to the positions 255 and 256 respectively and be supported by all of the rconveyor chainsy whereas bolts of six and four footlengths will extend to the positions 257 and 258 respectively and be supported by those chains only that are necessary properly to support such shorter bolts. Guides 35, 36 and 37 may,-of course, be adjusted or removed when forging the shorter length bolts.

It can now be seen that my'automatic feed mechanism will eiciently and rapidly feed such forging machine enabling the latter itself to operate at a rapid rate of speed, `such machine making, forexample, asmany as 45 complete cycles per minute.

, Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated-in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention: n

1.vr In a forging machine of the type having a stationary gripping die, a movable gripping'die and a reciprocable header die; an endless conveyor stock feed mechanism adapted to transfer such stock from a furnace to. said machine to feed stock downwardly from the top of said machine; and means to hold such stock on said conveyor directly above the parting line of said gripping dies whereby such stock can be gauged by said header die, said endless conveyor stock feed mechanism being mounted above said machine to feed suchstock directly horizontally from a furnace to said machine, said feed mechanism being dirven unidirectionally intermittently in timed relation to said machine. Y

2. Stock feed mechanism for delivering elongated stock from a furnace to a forging machine and the like having a transfer mechanism, comprising a feed conveyor which includes a plurality of parallel conveyor chains entrained about respective axially aligned sprockets, said chains having spaced projections thereon to receive `such stock therebetween, means mounting said feed conveyor above and adjacent such machine whereby the transfer mechanism of such machine is operable to remove such stock from the conveyor to move the same downwardly through the throat of such machine; means to drive said conveyor unidirectionally in timed relation to the operation of such machine, guide means for the loading of cold lengths of such stock, conveyor loading means to load said feed conveyor one length of stock at a time from said guide means, said conveyor loading means comprising a notched bar driven for reciprocation by a piston-cylinder assembly driven in timed relation to said conveyor drive means to place such cold stock between said projections on said drive chains, and a furnace at one edge of said feed conveyor to heat the end of such stock to be headed.

3. Stock feed mechanism as set forth in claim 2 including a drive shaft on which the drive sprockets of said feed conveyor chains are mounted, said drive shaft being driven unidirectionally intermittently by a piston-cylinder assembly drivingly connected thereto by a one-way clutch.

4. In an upsetting forging machine of the type having a stationary gripping die, a movable gripping die, and a reciprocable header die, said gripping dies being movable into and out of cooperative Work gripping relationship, said header die being operative to engage and upset an end portion of an elongated cylindrical workpiece thus gripped by said gripping dies, and a transfer mechanism adapted to move such workpiece through said gripping dies when separated to position such workpiece successively in a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of opposed die cavities in the respective work engaging faces of said gripping dies; a workpiece feed mechanism for feeding such workpieces to said transfer mechanism from a furnace and the like, said feed mechanism comprising a feed conveyor mounted above and adjacent said machine holding such workpieces in spaced parallel relation, drive means for said feed conveyor to move the same unidirectionally intermittently a distance equal to the spacing of such workpieces in timed relation to the operation of said machine, a plurality of parallel conveyor chains for said feed conveyor having spaced projections thereon to receive such workpieces therebetween, and stop means to hold such workpieces within the pockets formed by said spaced projections at the discharge point of said feed conveyor so that such workpieces may be gauged prior to removal of such workpieces from said feed conveyor by said transfer mechanism.

5. The machine set forth in claim 4 including means to remove said stop means after such workpiece has been grasped by said transfer mechanism to be removed from said feed conveyor and hence through said gripping dies.

6. The machine set forth in claim 5 including a pistoncylinder assembly driving said feed conveyor in timed relation to a furnace conveyor whereby said feed conveyor can be loaded with heated workpieces directly from such furnace conveyor.

7, The machine set forth in claim 6 including a drive shaft having a small diameter pinion keyed thereto mounting the drive sprockets of said feed conveyor chains, a large diameter gear mounted on a jack shaft adjacent said drive shaft and meshing with said pinion, said pistoncylinder assembly driving said large diameter gear through a one-way clutch to drive said feed conveyor unidirectionally such distance equal to the spacing of such workpieces for each cycle of operation of said machine.

8. IIn an upsetting forging machine of the type having a stationary gripping die, a movable gripping die, and a reciprocable header die, said gripping dies being movable into and out of cooperative work gripping relationship, said header die being operative to engage and upset an end portion of an elongated cylindrical workpiece thus gripped by said gripping dies, and a transfer mechanism adapted to move such workpiece through said gripping dies when separated to position such workpiece successively in a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of opposed die cavities in the respective work engaging faces of said gripping dies; a workpiece feed mechanism for feeding such workpieces to said transfer mechanism from a furnace and the like, said feed mechanism comprising a feed co-nveyor mounted above and adjacent said machine holding such workpieces in spaced parallel relation, drive means for said feed conveyor to move the same unidirectionally intermittently a distance equal to the spacing of such workpieces in timed relation to the operation of said machine, a plurality of parallel conveyor chains for said feed conveyor having spaced projections thereon to receive such workpieces therebetween, guide means for the loading of cold lengths of such elongated workpieces, conveyor loading means to load said feed conveyor one workpiece at a time from said guide means, said conveyor loading means comprising a notched bar reciprocated by a piston-cylinder assembly in timed relation to said feed conveyor drive means to place said workpieces one-at-a-time between said projections on said drive chain, and furnace means at one edge of said feed conveyor to heat the end of such workpieces to be upset.

9. Stock feed mechanism for delivering elongated stock from a furnace to a forging machine and the like having a transfer mechanism, comprising a feed conveyor which includes a plurality of par-allel conveyor chains entrained about respective axially aligned sprockets, said chains having spaced projections thereon to receive such stock therebetween, means mounting said feed conveyor above and adjacent such machine whereby the transfer mechanism of such machine is operable to remove such stock from the conveyor to move the same downwardly through the throat of such machine; means to drive said conveyor unidirectionally intermittently in timed relation to the operation of such machine, and stop means to hold such stock between said projections at said discharge point of said feed conveyor while such stock is being gauged.

10. Stock feed mechanism as set forth in claim 9 including means operative to shift said stop means out of stock engaging position after such stock has been grasped by such transfer mechanism of such machine to be removed from said conveyor and to be transferred 'through such forging machine and the like.

11. In an upsetting forging machine of the type having a stationary gripping die, a movable gripping die, and a reciprocable header die, said gripping dies being movable into and out of cooperative work gripping relationship, said header die being operative to eng-age and upset an end portion of an elongated cylindrical workpiece thus gripped by said gripping dies, and a transfer mechanism adapted to move such workpiece through said gripping dies when separated to position such workpiece successively in a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of opposed die cavities in the respective work engaging faces of said gripping dies; a workpiece feed mechanism for feeding such workpieces to said transfer mechanism from a furnace and the like, said feed mechanism comprising a feed conveyor mounted above and adjacent said machine holding such workpieces in spaced parallel relation, said feed conveyor including a plurality of conveyor chains, drive means for said feed conveyor to move the same unidirectionally intermittently a distance equal to the spacing of such workpieces in timed relation to the operation of said machine, a stand adjacent said machine supporting the sprockets for certain of said conveyor chains, and top guide means above said conveyor supporting upper conveyor course guide means longitudinally adjustably of the workpieces carried by said feed conveyor operative to guide and retain such workpieces during their travel on said feed conveyor.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES' PATENTS Muford et al.

Rupple 10-162 5 Kinney.

Foxx.

Leinweber 10-12 12 Lamprecht. Umbrihtv 19,8--135 Klooz 10;-27 Friedman- 10-12 Lamprecht 7-8-99- ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

CARL W. TOMLN, Examiner. 

1. IN A FORGING MACHINE OF THE TYPE HAVING A STATIONARY GRIPPING DIE, A MOVABLE GRIPPING DIE AND A RECIPROCABLE HEADER DIE; AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR STOCK FEED MECHANISM ADAPTED TO TRANSFER SUCH STOCK FROM A FURNACE TO SAID MACHINE TO FEED STOCK DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF SAID MACHINE; AND MEANS TO HOLD SUCH STOCK ON SAID CONVEYOR DIRECTLY ABOVE THE PARTING LINE OF SAID GRIPPING DIES WHEREBY SUCH STOCK CAN BE GAUGED BY SAID HEADER DIE, SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR STOCK FEED MECHANISM BEING MOUNTED ABOVE SAID MACHINE TO FEED SUCH STOCK DIRECTLY HORIZONTALLY FROM A FURNACE TO SAID MACHINE, SAID FEED MECHANISM BEING DRIVEN UNIDIRECTIONALLY INTERMITTENTLY IN TIMED RELATION TO SAID MACHINE. 